NEW HAVEN — Uber, the taxi-like service that has become almost synonymous with mobile technology, says it has a new focus in Connecticut — inner cities.

The company is holding a series of information sessions and skill-building workshops in Connecticut cities, starting with New Haven, that company officials said will bring on 1,500 drivers in those communities over the next year. And it’s working with the state chapter of the NAACP, which says the effort can open up new opportunities for city residents.

Scot X. Esdaile, president of the state NAACP chapter, said jobs are a constant need.

“The factories have left urban America,” he said at a Tuesday news conference launching the Uber effort. “We are constantly trying to move the needle on employment, and we have a difficult time trying to meet the needs of the community.”

Uber, he said, offers people the chance to make money as drivers by working their own hours, putting in as much or as little time as they choose.

Demand for the service has continued to increase, both nationally and in Connecticut, where the service launched last year. Company officials say tens of thousands of people use the service statewide every week.

The city-focused program is starting in New Haven and will expand to other cities, including Bridgeport, after evaluation of the initial rollout.

Uber works through a smartphone app that passengers can access to alert potential drivers that they need a ride. An Uber driver will receive the notification and arrive, often within minutes, to take the passenger to a destination for a fee.

Though drivers can make a living through Uber, they are not employees — the company carefully calls them “driver partners.” As such, drivers are not offered insurance or benefits. However, the California Labor Commission last week ruled that drivers in that state should be considered employees rather than independent contractors, which analysts said could drastically change the booming company’s outlook.

For now, though, backers of the company’s urban partnership program say it gives people a chance for work who might otherwise have few options. At the same time, it helps people with limited transportation options get to jobs that would otherwise be inaccessible, said Dori Dumas, president of the Greater New Haven NAACP.

“We know that a lack of transportation is really affecting the urban community,” she said. “It’s one of the major barriers to getting a job. This is a true example of the private and public sectors working together to move our country forward.”

Uber officials promoted the service’s frequent connections to mass transit, noting that a quarter of all trips in Connecticut have begun or ended at a Metro-North station.

The average driver works about 20 to 25 hours per week, said Matt Powers, manager of Uber Connecticut. They include students, people who are otherwise unemployed and people who are supplementing their income.

Juan Perez, a New Haven resident who spoke about his positive experience as an Uber driver, said flexibility is key. He said he was laid off from a job with the city of New Haven and uses Uber to pay the bills until he can find another full-time job. “There’s a lot of freedom,” he said. “You’re your own boss.”

Though it’s similar to a taxi service, the company does not operate under taxi regulations, which has led to criticism of unfair business practices. Esdaile, though, said the competition is good for everyone. “The taxi companies are going to have to elevate their games, too,” he said in an interview after the event.